


Insomnia

by Anjelle



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 21:05:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2362178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anjelle/pseuds/Anjelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Be it night terrors or his worry for his brothers, Sabo finds himself unable to sleep and decides that there's no better way to waste the midnight hours than chat with the man who saved him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Insomnia

It didn't matter how many days—weeks—passed. His healing burns were hardly a factor, though he was certainly grateful that the horrid pain from the early days had begun to fade. The persistent, dull ache when he stilled was running strong, though.

No, none of that mattered. Because when the midnight hours took over, Sabo found himself restlessly tossing and turning in bed.

Each and every night was the same: the  _moment_  he started drifting off, he would have flashes to a night of fire and panic and  _screaming_  and hecouldn'tbreathe—

And he would wake up. Again and again and again.

The boy pursed his lips, his hand absently reaching for his throat after waking in a cold sweat. He could feel the crush of the water pushing him down, down, down, deeper— _forcing_  its way into his lungs—and that  _terrified_  him.

But that was nothing compared to the worry for his brothers that plagued his thoughts. They were… okay, right? No, they  _had_  to be. He trusted they'd gotten out of the fire. So… they were fine.

…Then why was he met with so much unease?

With a tired huff, Sabo sat up in bed, scowling at the door. He looked to his right where his roommate—Koala—slept soundlessly. Careful not to wake her, he pushed off the covers and slid off the bed, heading for the door.

There was a balcony on the fourth floor not too far from there, and he thought maybe he could get some fresh air out there.

And, of course, Dragon was there, overlooking the sea. That was typical of the man—though he still wasn't  _entirely_  sure of what to think of him.

In any case, the revolutionary had garnered his respect.

Sabo took the space beside the one who'd saved him.

"I take it you couldn't sleep."

He frowned, staring out at the water before heaving an exhausted sigh, a hand reaching up to rub the dark circles beneath one of his eyes. "Can I  _ever_?"

Dragon's mouth curled upward ever so slightly, and he leaned on the rail. "Not typically, no. What is it this time?"

"My brothers," he answered quietly. It wasn't the whole truth—the whole 'near death experience' thing was still ripe in his mind—but it wasn't a lie, either. And… it was bothering him most. "There's three of us, and we made a pact—to set out and be free. Only… I left without them."

Dragon was silent, and so he continued, smiling. "I hope they aren't too mad about that. Bet Ace'll punch me next time he sees me. Luffy might, too."

Dark eyes scrolled to the blond, watching him intently. "Luffy, is it?"

"Yeah," he answered prompt with a nod. "Our little brother. I just… I'm worried about them, I guess. Ace, he's so reckless, and—"

Again he sighed. He'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"They'll be fine."

Sabo blinked, blue eyes turning from the ocean to the tall man standing before him. "…Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"How do you know?"

The man just smirked in response, never giving him a straight answer. But he  _did_  speak. "You said you wanted to be a pirate?"

"Ah, yeah. I did."

Dragon looked at him then, and Sabo actually felt a bit intimidated through his haze of exhaustion. "Is that really what you want?"


End file.
